Kuril Islands

US/ˈkuɹɪl ˈaɪ.ləndz/

proper noun

An archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.

Similar
KurilsKuriles
OriginRussian Кури́лы ← Ainu クㇽ →
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Meanings

proper nounthe Kuril Islands pl (plural only)

alternative Kurile Islands

  1. pluralplural onlyAn archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.

    Synonyms: Kurils, Kuriles

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounAn archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka, Russia, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the north Pacific Ocean.

Similar
KurilsKuriles
Also see
kurileskurils

Origin

  1. Ainuクㇽ“a person”
  2. RussianКури́лы
  3. EnglishKuril Islands

Borrowed from Russian Кури́лы (Kuríly). One theory suggests that its name is ultimately from Ainu クㇽ (“a person”).

More words from Russian, Ainu

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic جُزُر اَلْكُورِيل
  • جُزُر اَلْكُورِيل (juzur al-kurīl)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Bengali কুরিল দ্বীপপুঞ্জ
  • কুরিল দ্বীপপুঞ্জ (kuril dippunjo)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Bulgarian Кури́лски острови
  • Кури́лски острови (Kurílski ostrovi)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Chinese Mandarin 千島群島 /千岛群岛, 庫里爾列島 /库里尔列岛
  • 千島群島 /千岛群岛 (Qiāndǎo qúndǎo)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • 庫里爾列島 /库里尔列岛 (Kùlǐ'ěr lièdǎo)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Czech Kurilské ostrovy, Kurily
  • Kurilské ostrovyarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • Kurilyarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Danish Kurilerne
  • Kurilernearchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Estonian Kuriilid
  • Kuriilidarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Finnish Kuriilit
  • Kuriilitarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
French Îles Kouriles
  • Îles Kourilesarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
German Kurilen
  • Kurilenarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Hebrew האיים הקוריליים
  • האיים הקורילייםarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Hungarian Kuril-szigetek
  • Kuril-szigetekarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Icelandic Kúrileyjar
  • Kúrileyjararchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Italian Isole Curili
  • Isole Curiliarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Japanese 千島列島, クリル列島
  • 千島列島 (Chishima rettō)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • クリル列島 (Kuriru rettō)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Korean 쿠릴 열도, 천도 열도
  • 쿠릴 열도 (Kuril yeoldo)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • 천도 열도 (Cheondo yeoldo)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Latin Insulae Curilenses
  • Insulae Curilensesarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Norwegian Bokmål Kurilene
  • Kurilenearchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Polish Wyspy Kurylskie, Kuryle
  • Wyspy Kurylskiearchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • Kurylearchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Portuguese Ilhas Curilas
  • Ilhas Curilasarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Russian Кури́льские острова́, Кури́лы
  • Кури́льские острова́ (Kurílʹskije ostrová)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • Кури́лы (Kuríly)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Spanish Islas Kuriles
  • Islas Kurilesarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Swedish Kurilerna
  • Kurilernaarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Ukrainian Кури́льські острови́, Кури́ли
  • Кури́льські острови́ (Kurýlʹsʹki ostrový)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
  • Кури́ли (Kurýly)archipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Vietnamese quần đảo Kuril
  • quần đảo Kurilarchipelago between Japan and Kamchatka
Cite this entry
APA

Kuril Islands. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kuril%20Islands

MLA

“Kuril Islands.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kuril%20Islands. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kuril Islands,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kuril%20Islands.

Source: Kuril Islands on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.